Six easy ways to help birds, bees and butterflies

North Jersey Greeen

It’s hard to drive anywhere in New Jersey without seeing bulldozers eating up “unused” land. This is bad news for traffic—and terrible news for birds and the insects they depend on for food.

Three million birds have been lost since the 1970s. Bumblebee numbers have declined by 90 percent. Habitat loss is a key factor.

If you’re wondering what you can do to help, it’s time to meet Dr. Douglas Tallamy, wildlife ecologist, entomologist, author of the bestselling book "Nature’s Best Hope."

Last fall, Tallamy gave a talk, sponsored by the Madison Environmental Commission, that explained how each of us can help birds and pollinators right in our own yards. Together, we can create a biodiverse patchwork that Tallamy calls a “Homegrown National Park.”

If you have an hour, watch his talk on YouTube (youtu.be/anjQNC2jppg)—we can’t recommend it enough. Meanwhile, here are six ways to take action in your yard.